Tonight’s game against the Atlanta Falcons is as close to a REAL football game as it gets in the exhibition season.

Tonight’s 7 p.m. contest against a team coach Tony Sparano believes is playoff worth in 2010 is the dress rehearsal for the Miami Dolphins.

Starters will play well into the fourth quarter. The outcome of the game won’t count in the record books, but IT MATTERS. This game will tell the Dolphins, and their fans, what areas they should each be concerned about.

Here’s a look at the top 10 things the Sun-Sentinel will be on the lookout for.

1. Let it fly:Chad Henne (11-of-14, 151 yards, 2 touchdowns) had the passing game rolling last week while putting up 17 points in his four series of work. Look for Henne and the first-team offense to play a full three quarters Friday night as they get their most extensive tuneup for the regular-season opener Sept. 12 at Buffalo.

2. Center of attention: The knock-down, drag-out battle for the starting center job should be resolved after this game. The margin between incumbent Jake Grove and upstart Joe Berger – who started in place of the injured Grove for the final six games last season – is razor thin. Grove, with $13 million remaining on his contract through 2013, is far pricier than Berger, who is signed up for a combined $1.5 million the next two seasons.

3. Special forces: After allowing blocked punts in consecutive games for the first time on record in franchise history, the Dolphins’ special teams must tighten up. Look for the coaching staff to narrow the list of players running down field on coverage units, which have been largely porous thus far.

4. Which fringe receiver – Marlon Moore, Patrick Turner, Roberto Wallace, Julius Pruitt – will step up and claim that fourth receiver spot, which was opened by this week’s trade that sent Greg Camarillo to the Vikings. Can Turner run better routes? Will Moore continue to produce run after catch yards, and is Wallace a big play producer?

5. Who is manning the nickel package for the Dolphins, and how does he look against the Falcon’s talent and deep receiving corp? Does newly acquired cornerback Benny Sapp get into the mix immediately after participating in only one (walk-through) practice. Will rookie Nolan Carroll be given the opportunity to rebound from his disappointing game last week against the Jaguars? And if so how does he look?

6. Can any of the Dolphins linebackers defense future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez down field? Gonzalez eats like he’s at the buffet every time he faces the Dolphins. How will Chris Clemons and Koa Misi do in helping Yeremiah Bell covering the middle of the field?

7. How much pressure can the Dolphins’ front seven apply to Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan without blitzing? And who [an APB been issued for Cameron Wake] gets there? Ryan’s pretty good at getting the ball out of his hands in a timely fashion, but if he leaves Sun Life Stadium with a clean jersey the Dolphins MIGHT have issues applying pressure with/or without the blitz this season.

8. Can the Dolphins run effectively against the Falcons, improving on Miami’s 2.7 yards per carry average this preseason? The ground game hasn’t been emphasized much during training camp, or the exhibition games, but you’d think the coaches need to get serious about pounding the football soon seeing as how grinding it out is in this team’s DNA.

9. The starting cornerbacks aren’t ready to become shutdown cornerbacks just yet, but they need to stop allowing big plays, which was at the heart of the secondaries problems last season. That’s why Sean Smith and Vontae Davis CAN NOT allow a reception that’s good for more than 25-yards against them.

10. Which of the three inside linebacker prospects – J.D. Folsom, Austin Spitler and Micah Johnson – will play well enough in the base defense, and on special teams to win that fourth inside linebacker spot on the 53-man roster. Each player has their individual strength, but who can mask their weaknesses the best?

It’s kinda good in a odd sorta way that we struggled tonite. In fact it was low scoring struggle for both teams, with Atlanta considered a playoff team.
This will keep Miami’s guys from getting to high on themselves and the coaches will kickin some butts in practices leading up to the Jills game.
No one should be complacent at this time.

I also think Sparano needs the wake up call
about
OL not opening holes
Henning’s play calling
crummy screen passes
ST coaching
cuts
getting Penne to teach Henne how to hit the hot read on blitzes faster
and stuff

Well that certainly wasn’t anything to be over joyed about. OL was weak and far too many penalties. Vonte bought it to another level, Wallace and Moore showed they belong, Dansby played hard so there was some bright spots. Besides that, 20 yards on 15 rushes just ain’t gonna cut it. Still Preseason so nothing to get terribly upset about. Next!!

With all this depth on the Oline and solid starting OT’s, I am not liking where Tony has them.
Especially in the running game, which was supposed to be our strength.
This is his baby even tho he has a OL coach on the staff.
He needs to pick his 5 man squad, put them at the correct positions and build some continuity ASAP!
ASAP Tony, do you hear me?

Yup, good points. Both teams struggles on Offense. Our “vanilla” D somewhat held their own early against Ryan.
Atlanta was 10th is run D last year & 14th on points surrendered.
Their Offense in 09 was 16th in yards & 13th in points.

Yes we got things to work on, and probably good the preseason win streak is over.
But we stayed in the game with the 1st teamers pretty well.

Hi Gigi !! Guys leave my sweetie alone !! Gigi , i see your making alot of friends on here . LMAO !! Gigi , take it easy with the negativity !! we discussed this already !! henne will be fine !! see you later !!

Props for the better link go to NJ and Mike E. I, along with you, thank them as well!

Thank you for the props regarding VONTAE, and I mean that… DEEPLY! You can ask my Brother Ocala Howie or Harvey Fialkov about me calling for VONTAE back in Nov of ‘08. I kept up a steady campaign, and well, I guess we all lucked out that we got VONTAE.

Thank you! I don’t mean to sound “soft”, but man, we have some REALLY good folks here in the Mob. We’re all Phins football freaks, and the larger majority of us are very respectful individuals. I can’t say enough good about some of our regs, such as you.

Bro NJ,

Safe journey. I could have baby-sat Sophi, you S.O.B.!!! LOL!!! Seriously, be safe and God Bless!

Ocala & Johnny Ray Ray, yes we need to tighten up some areas for sure, but C’mon, it’s not like the Falcons beat the hell out of us either,right?
It’s not like we gave up 36pts at home like the Pasties did, or 59pts like the Colts did.
If we struggle @ the Jills then I will join ya on the worry wagon.
But remember, this young team may take time to gel as the season goes on.
Patience, patience….we are building a team the right way with very young talent that can compete for the long haul in the coming years…patience.

Thanks my man, and just know, the love is mutual! I agree with you wholeheartedly, we have an excellent group here, and it’s getting larger, with some nice recent additions, (at least to my knowledge, new here myself!) Very cool people, with the same goal, to see our Dolphins succeed!

In the 3 preseason games Miami in the 1st half against starters for the most part has given up, 7, 12, & 10 pts respectively.
While scroring 3, 24, & 3 respectively.
Oddly enough it seems the D will be ok, especially once Nolan can open up his playbook. This is the unit we had the most worries over with all the new faces, rookies, & position changes.
This should be taken as a positive sign.
The Offense will get going soon. Especially with 4 qtrs of the Beast, and R&R Express.

Are you NOT aloud to be PO’d on how your team does??
I don’t jump ship!!!
I sat through 07, driving that Hour and 20 minutes every game to watchy team go 1-15!!!! I was there through the Saban & Cameran ERA!!!
And the Weiner ERA!!!

But, I will get mad when my Phins look like crap!!!
I have that privilage!!!

OMAR KELLY was unsuccessful at achieving his childhood dream to become a super hero, so he figured he'd do the next best thing and become a journalist who fights against injustice, and searches for truth. After being bored to death reporting news and covering politics, he switched to sports.
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IZZY GOULD joined the Sun Sentinel in Feb. 2012 as a Senior Sports Reporter on the Miami Dolphins beat. He came to South Florida fresh off covering the University of Alabama football program, including its 2011 national championship team. More